(Purpose)We wish to report the results of reconstructing massive rotator cuff tears by the McLaughlin procedure or a fascia lata patch grafting.
(Patients and methods)Since 1992 we have perfomed the McLaughlin procedure on 4 patients and fascia lata patch grafting on 7 patients to reconstruct massive rotator cuff tears measuring more than 5cm. The mean patient's age was 59 years. The Pre-and postoperative JOA scores were evaluated and the factors contributing to the results were investigated.
(Results)The JOA scores of the patients who underwent a McLaughlin procedure averaged 60 points preoperatively and 92 postoperatively. The JOA scores of the patients who underwest a fascia lata patch grafting averaged 58 points preoperatively and 84 postoperatively. All but one patient were satisfied with the results. One patient's old rupture of the long head of the biceps tendon was not reparable and persistent weakness of his shoulder muscle led to unsatisfactory results. In another patient whose long head of the biceps tendon dislocated and was sutured to the rotator cuff, the dynamic electromyograghy demonstrated that the biceps cooperated with the repaired cuff.
(Conclusion)The long head of the biceps could play an important role in elevation of the shoulder following repair of a massive cuff tear.
